Sourcing Potassium Bromide from China

Potassium bromide: 4% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 6 November 2026, potassium bromide falls within heading 2827 under 2827 51 00 00, the line for bromides of sodium or potassium. The supplied tariff facts show 4% duty for China, no anti-dumping or countervailing measure and no suspension. The table shows buying grades sharing this code, rather than separate tariff lines.

The tariff attaches import and export waste controls. Confirm whether the proposed consignment is waste with your customs broker before shipment. For a China-to-England import subject to notification controls, the exporter must apply for consent to the competent authority in the country of dispatch and follow its procedures. Confirm the remaining shipment requirements with the broker and Environment Agency.

Confirm the commodity code against the composition and product documents. For other salts in this heading, see the calcium and magnesium chloride guide.

Specify assay, impurities and infrared suitability

Name potassium bromide explicitly and state the intended use. Agree assay and its reporting basis, moisture, chloride, sulphate, iodide, iron and insoluble matter limits, together with test methods. For infrared work, agree an acceptance test using the buyer's pellet preparation and instrument conditions; a general reagent-grade description alone leaves the optical result undefined.

For Great Britain, confirm the applicable UK REACH registration threshold and any exemptions with HSE before importing. Registration is per substance and legal entity. Chemical hazard classification must be assessed regardless of quantity. Check the English safety data sheet and applicable hazard labelling before supply. Assess this through testing and certification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 50 kg of potassium bromide for infrared spectroscopy under 2827 51 00 00, invoiced at £2,000 free on board, with £540 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £2,540. Duty at 4% is £101.60. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £2,641.60, so it is £528.32. Import taxes total £629.92; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £101.60 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the product name, grade and batch identifier across the container, purchase order and certificate of analysis.

Analysis: check actual batch results against the agreed assay, moisture and impurity limits; retain a sealed sample for independent testing.

Application: for infrared grade, test a sample using the agreed preparation method and compare the background spectrum with the acceptance criteria.

Packing: check sealed liners or containers, closure integrity, net weight, contamination and visible caking. Record findings during quality inspection.

What goes wrong

A certificate stating only that the material passes gives little help when moisture or an impurity affects the buyer's process. Other failures include a different grade being substituted, batch identifiers that do not match, damaged closures and material that needs reworking before use.

For infrared applications, acceptable assay alone does not settle optical suitability. Approve a representative sample against the intended test, require batch-specific results and agree how disputed stock will be sampled before ordering.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.